10 Reasons You Didn't Get That Job

I interview a lot of millennials for jobs and I hire only a tiny fraction of them. Here's why you're getting passed up for someone else

1. You don't have a good answer to the question, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"I don't deny this is a cliché thing to ask—the Ritz Cracker of job interview questions—but it can greatly influence my opinion of a person. For instance, if you're interviewing for a job in social media and you say you want to be a creative director, I'm going to wonder why you're not interviewing for a design job. If you interview for an assistant job and say you want to be interviewing Justin Bieber on the carpet in 10 years because "OMG I love him so much he's so cute," I'm going to have a hard time taking you seriously. There are ways to intellectually discuss an interest in Justin Bieber, don't get me wrong, but if you seem to be using the organization as a means of gaining proximity to celebs, you can turn right around and find somewhere else to work. Perks should be just that—perks!—Not the sole reason for pursuing a given career path.

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2. You didn't Google me before you showed up. Not everyone is going to have a huge presence on the Internet, but if you're interviewing with a person who DOES, you should have figured that out before you showed up, and once you're in front of them, say things that suggest you've taken five seconds to Google them and read their five most recent tweets or the latest press release about their work. I am so impressed when I meet people who mention details about my career or Twitter feed or something else they found out by doing a quick Internet search because so few people come that prepared.

3. We're just not a good fit for each other. There is nothing you can do about this, but it's good to realize that if you didn't get a job, it's not necessarily because you lack talent, passion, or a future in the field you're pursuing. Some managers want employees who don't ask any questions, some managers want employees who ask questions all the time. And sometimes, I can just tell that my management style isn't going to bring out the best in someone. Sometimes I pass on people who seem amazing but possess similar skill sets and expertise as several other people on my team and I just have to go with a person who has a different point of view. The good news is, I remember all the talented people I interview and try to recommend them to my friends who might have a better opportunity for you.

4. You seem entitled. If you come into my office with an attitude that suggests you're going to have a problem with menial tasks, I'm going to hire the person I just saw who told me, "I'm happy to do grunt work, I am just dying to work here." No one enjoys doing menial jobs, but everyone has to do them at some point. The person interviewing you probably rolled up their sleeves when they were starting out and made copies and restaurant reservations and booked airline tickets. The truth is, if you're not willing to do that stuff cheerfully, a lot of other people are.

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5. You didn't follow up. I don't care if you e-mail me to say thank you or send me a hand-painted card in the mail, but I do look for a thank-you note because it shows you want the job. If you don't follow up, I assume you don't care and don't really want it.

6. You're overqualified. If you've been working for two years out of school and have been doing work that's a lot more advanced and interesting than what I need from an entry-level opening, I'm not going to hire you. You'll be bored! Managers usually want everyone they hire to feel challenged — like they're always taking steps forward and always growing. And if a manager doesn't want that for you, they might not be such a great person to work for.

7. You didn't over-prepare. Bringing several hard copies of your resumé is the bare minimum. If you want to be a writer, you should also bring a folder of your published work that your interviewer can keep. If you're applying for a graphic design job, bring a portfolio of your relevant artwork. Write three references down on a separate page with phone numbers and e-mail addresses and leave that with your interviewer, too. Most people under-prepare, but even if you just do standard preparation (like, print three resumés) there's a good chance someone will come in with a packet that blows my mind and make you seem less impressive.

8. You didn't properly study the company you're interviewing with before you showed up. You should Google whoever you're going to interview with the morning of your interview. You want to be totally up to speed with whatever they're doing that day, not just what they did yesterday. Also, if you have a week to prepare for an interview, use it! That way you can reference things the company did last week that caught your eye, which shows you've really been keeping tabs on all company activities.

9. You're nervous in a bad way. Nerves are actually fine—when I can tell someone's really nervous about meeting with me, I know they care about making a stellar impression and want the job, which is something I really look for. But if you're so nervous that you're forgetting key talking points or flubbing answers to more than two questions, your nerves are unfortunately working against you. Here's some advice I once got that made me a whole lot less nervous about interviewing for things myself: The interviewer wants you to be The One. Hiring is tedious, incredibly challenging, and time-consuming. I desperately want every young whippersnapper who walks through my door to be The One. So if you feel your nerves getting the best of you, remember: The interviewer is on your side!

10. You didn't have good questions to ask at the end of your interview. Asking someone "What's the best part about working here?" and nothing else suggests that you're just asking questions for the sake of asking the question. If you've got face time with an influencer in whatever field you're pursuing, use it! Ask them what they think of their competitors, ask them what they want to improve in the work they're already doing, ask them where they think some facet of their industry is going. And if you have legitimate concerns about why you might not be the best fit for a position, ask about that, too. Remember that this is your chance to interview someone who could be your boss so use the time to find out as much about what the job is going to be like day-to-day as you can.

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